Posted on Nov 7, 2014
SFC Paralegal Specialist
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Ok so there I was at a court-martial asking a Soldier why he was wearing ACUs and not ASUs. He started to catch an attitude, so I told him to go to parade rest. He turned away from me looking at my paralegal, putting his hands in his pockets.

My paralegal tells him that he does not need to be looking at him, but at me, because I was the one addressing him, and that he needs to show respect. As the Soldier continues to stare out at my paralegal with his hands in his pockets, I continue to correct him when a civilian comes out to where I was correcting the Soldier stating that she had work to do and I could "yell" at him some other time.

I was so mind boggled and dumbfounded because said civilian used to be in the military. I'm sorry, but the last time I checked the Soldier was given a direct order by a CPT and myself that the duty uniform for the court-martial was ASUs and an alternate uniform had to be approved by the judge, so I was doing my job by asking him why he was in the wrong uniform and then correcting him when he began to disrespect me.

I felt so disrespected I just walked away and sat in a room to cool off.

How would you have handled the situation?
Posted in these groups: Zgvwznrr9psdw5lzq6y7ihp6r9qhpdfhlbomkkkntap1slsxqwsblel onis9qdww00l q s85 DisrespectMilitary leadership skills civilian employment CiviliansHelp1%281%29 Counseling
Edited 11 y ago
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Responses: 380
SGT Kyle Bickley
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You got count marshalled for correcting a trooper? Your nicer then I was! Discipline in the ranks as Paramount in order to complete the mission no matter what the mission. One fool not being able to follow instructions or orders could jeopardize the lives of many in combat, they'll challenge you. You can't have that.
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SGT Scott Henderson
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File a motion for new counsel as that situation would have affected my attitude towards this case; possibly causing me to provide less than adequate defense for my client.
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CWO2 Shelby DuBois
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Why does it matter where you were? File more charges against him. Build a case for insubordination. Obviously, there are two people who need to work on leadership skills.
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TSgt James Carson
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The UCMJ gives plenty of guidelines and requirements to take place in this matter. YOU, as the supervisor are responsible for discharging your duties to correct this infraction and prevent it from happening again. You may have to look at discharging the guilty individual from the service to keep good order In the military.
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SPC Byron Wells
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In my opinion this is very disrespectful, newer soldiers just seem to have a different mindset.
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Maj Blake D
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Several good answers here. I had an experience of disrespect while newly commanding a reserve unit at an annual exercise. I had asked the First Sergeant to take 2 airmen on a detail in a military vehicle. The 1SG said "no" likely as it was late in the day and would have made them late to the chow hall. I asked him again and explained that it needed to be done that day. He replied, "then you do it." I had noted similar responses/ attitudes on occasion by Guard and Reserve members to both officers and NCO leadership over my then 15 years, however never in a command situation. Likely the 1ST did not respect my newly appointed command position. My response was to engage his supervisor, the unit CMS. To my surprise the CMS said "I'm not going to do anything." This was the beginning of my frustration with the Guard unit and led to my eventual exit to the AFRES. In my opinion, if I can't have orders followed during an exercise then I certainly don't want this guy or others unwilling to act on my team during an actual conflict. In retrospect the problem in this case stemmed from fulltime AGR members treating a critical exercise as day to day work at the unit where there is an absence of command leadership. They simply didn't see the difference. This wasn't their fault entirely, they needed clear consistent expectations at the unit command level.
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SPC Fred Scholl
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First of all you should have ignored the civilian since he had no right interfering. Second, since the soldier ignored orders and did not respect a superior, an article 15 at the least should have followed. If he was a real pain in the ass, call an MP and have him dragged to the brig and charge the appropriate article.
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PFC Robert Rice
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I never disrespected authority when I served and still do not. I would smoke the hell out of a soldier if I was In that position.
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Sgt Charles Welling
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I gotta say this knowing I could get flak, but, why do I read so much of this stuff coming out of the Army? I NEVER saw anyone disrespect an officer while I was an active Marine. I NEVER hear of Marines commenting about the same now or then. It simply was not done! I had a corporal working for me as a Sgt, he would not have dared that nonsense and I would not have dared disrespect the MSgt I worked for. The Cpl did not respond to me quickly enough one day and I read him the riot act and he turned to just as he should have. The Marine Corps does not put up with bull shit, it just puts a sorry ass out. Seems to me the Army has some work to do as regards military operating, it is NOT a Democracy and rank serves a purpose, you need to kick a little more ass instead of trying to get trained people to "understand." And don't give me the "you have not been there crap," my dad was an Army LtCol, I have been there and was in the Guard in high school, not for me, not enough grit and can do attitude, too much bull shit and not enough do it right or else.
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LTC Ronald Stephens
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Going with MSG Brad Sand on this one. Statement of Charges sent through channels.
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